The present invention is directed to storage and retrieval systems for information carrying disks, such as compact disks and DVD disks.
Compact disks (CDs) have become a wildly popular format for distributing music, software, and the like. Likewise, DVD disks have become very popular format for video and audio programs. Indeed, a typical consumer owns tens, if not hundreds, of such disks. As can be appreciated, storing numerous such disks in fashion that they can be readily retrieved has become a problem. One typical approach is to store each disk in its original rectangular clamshell (xe2x80x9cjewelxe2x80x9d) case, with the cases either stacked side-by-side on a horizontal shelf (or shelves) or placed into vertically or horizontally aligned grill-type slots. However, it is becoming more popular to distribute or otherwise store such disks in generally round containers. Such round containers are not easily handled by earlier storage systems, as they are not readily stackable and tend to fall through common grill-type slots.
As such, there remains a need for alternative storage and retrieval systems, particularly ones adapted for the generally round cases being increasingly employed to protect information carrying disks such as CDs and DVDs.
The present invention is directed to a storage and retrieval system primarily adapted for the convenient storage and retrieval of media disks, such as CDs, DVDs, and the like. The system typically includes a plurality of disk enclosures releaseably supported in a hanging fashion from a rod via a plurality of hanger assemblies. The rod has a plurality of grooves and the hanger assemblies have at least two inwardly extending tabs that slidably engage the grooves. The hanger assemblies have an upper section that includes the tabs, and an elongate docking member attached to and disposed below the upper section. The docking member includes a generally downwardly opening channel having a relatively wider main section disposed above a relatively narrower constricted section. The disk enclosures each have a generally elongate docking section that are adapted to releasably engage the docking member such that the disk enclosures are releasably supported in a hanging fashion from the rod with limited rotational movement about the axis of the rod. While the rotational movement is limited, the lateral movement of the disk enclosures with respect to rod preferably is not. Indeed, it is intended that disk enclosures of most embodiments will be readily slidable bidirectionally along the rod generally parallel to its axis, with the tabs sliding in the corresponding grooves.
The number of hanger assemblies may be limited, based on their width and the length of rod, so that adequate space is provided for laterally sliding the hanger assemblies relative to the rod for viewing content labels on the disk enclosures and the like.